"Do you think we should tell him?" asked Duncan.

"Yes."

"I was asking Veronica."

"I do think so. We've all been keeping too many secrets for too long. But…."

"But?"

"He already knows about what happened between us at Shelly's party."

"Oh."

"Wait, so what? I know you guys wanted to, like, wait for your wedding day or whatever, but you were—are—in love and stuff, so..."

"I think we should tell him," Veronica said to Duncan, "on the condition," she continued, raising her voice for emphasis and turning toward Logan, "that he tell you what he did at Shelly's party."

Logan swallowed before answering. "Alright, okay. You're right, there have been too many secrets."

"Alright," said Duncan, throwing up his hands. "Veronica is my sister."

Logan laughed. "Duncan, are you feeling okay? I know you've been through a lot, but…Lilly was your sister. Veronica was your girlfriend."

"Thank you, Logan, for your penetrating insight. Veronica is also my sister."

"Okay, I know we took biology back in ninth grade, but let me remind you how this works: your parents are Jake and Celeste Kane; they were also Lilly's parents, making Lilly your sister. Veronica's parents are Keith and Lianne Mars, who are not your parents, making her not your sister."

Duncan slapped his left hand against his forehead. Veronica just rolled her eyes. Backup scampered off their laps and over to the other end of the pier to relieve himself against one of the dock pylons.

"Logan—"

"No, no, Veronica, I'll explain it, lest he continue to think I'm the slow child or something. Okay, Logan, pay attention now. My father, Jake Kane, had an affair with Veronica's mother, Lianne Mars. That affair produced Veronica, making her my half-sister."

"Okay, you just made that up. He just made that up, right?" Veronica just shook her head. "Wait," Logan continued, "you're telling me that Veronica is your Dad's daughter?"

"Yes, that's right."

"And that's why you broke up with her?"

"Yes."

"Wait, but you broke up with her before Shelly's party. You knew before Shelly's party! Dude, you had sex with your sister!" Duncan just put his face in his hands and groaned.

"Ahem." Veronica cleared her throat pointedly.

"Oh, right, I guess I probably shouldn't have given you that drink laced with GHB that night, huh?"

"You what? You jackass!" Duncan reached back around behind Veronica and grabbed the waist of Logan's boxers, tugging upwards as hard as he could.

"Ow," gasped Logan very quietly.

"Oh, a wedgie, that's a mature response."

"Fine," answered Duncan, now standing directly behind Logan, practically holding him in the air by the waist of his shorts. "I'll let him go." With a grin, Duncan pitched Logan forward into the water.

"Ow," responded Logan as he splashed around. "I'm still bleeding here you know. Do you have any idea how much seawater stings?"

"Ah, it's good for you. The saltwater will disinfect the wounds."

"Yes, I'm sure the water here in the marina is very sanitary. You want to help me out here?"

"Mmm, no."

"Duncan."

"Oh, alright." Bracing himself with one hand on the nearest pylon, Duncan extended his other hand to help Logan out of the brine. Logan pulled downward with all his weight on Duncan's proffered arm, but Duncan managed to not fall in, instead pulling Logan out back onto the dock. "Nice try."

"Yeah, yeah." Logan shook out his wet hair at Duncan. "I hope you know that I intend to drip as much as possible on the inside of your car."

"What else is new?"

"I meant drip seawater. And don't take his side just because he's your brother."

"Just making an observation. Seriously though, maybe we should get back."

As they headed for the parking lot, Logan watched Veronica thoughtfully.

"What?"

"I was just thinking, so Jake Kane is really your dad?"

"Biologically, yes."

"So that explains why you're so tall."

"Duncan, could you throw him back in the water?"

"Hey, if anyone here is so small she ought to be thrown back—okay, okay, kidding, sorry. Anyway," he continued as they piled into Duncan's Mercedes, "what's our game-plan now?"

"Our game-plan? First, we're going to drive you home and put you to bed, then I'm going to drive Veronica home, and then I'm going home to bed. Tomorrow we can come back for your car."

"What I mean is, if I'm going home, has Trina heard yet?"

"Ooh, yeah, probably. I mean, Duncan and I found your flask and your cell-phone on the Coronado Bridge—do you want them back? I guess you must have dropped them when—"

"I didn't drop them. I threw them away deliberately. I'll take the phone back though."

Veronica smiled at that and handed the phone back. "Anyway, some reporter called on your cell-phone, and then another called Duncan's. There probably were more calls, but we turned off all our phones, but yeah, it's a good bet Trina's heard."

"Terrific. Well, she always has subscribed to the 'no such thing as bad publicity' school of public relations. Would you two go in with me? I really don't want to face her alone."

"Yeah, of course."

"Absolutely."

As they approached the Echolls' front gate, they could see that, even though it was still the middle of the night, a crowd of reporters and gawkers had already assembled out front. Duncan had to honk a few times before the crowd parted enough for the Mercedes to edge its way to the gate. Flashbulbs went off all around them, and microphones and microcassette recorders were all shoved against the windows as journalists clamored for some kind of statement. They were only a few feet inside the gate when they saw Trina running out to meet them.

As they piled out of the SUV, Trina keened "Oh my God, Logan, is it true?" When she saw Logan's face she added "Logan, what happened to you? Did Dad—"

"No, these particularly injuries I can't blame on our father. Now, Veronica's injuries I can. And yes, in answer to your first question, we can also blame Lilly's injury on good old Pop."

"Oh no. Wait, Logan, what did happen to you then? Who did this—you look like you got hit by a car or something."

"Close. I actually got hit by a bike…er…gang."

"Wait, Veronica, did my father really…."

"Yes, Trina, he did."

"Oh no." Trina shook her head silently for a moment before she spoke again. "Logan," she began softly, "I'm sorry. I should have believed you when you used to tell me about what he did to you."

In the illumination from the camera flashes come from beyond the gate, they all watched as Logan did a double-take. "What? What did you just say? You're not defending him? All of a sudden you believe me now?"

"I never wanted to see that side of him before, but after what happened with Dylan—"

"Wait, the one time he pounds on someone who actually deserves it and—"

"That's not the point. You only got there at the end. You didn't see what he was like. He was just totally out of control."

"I've seen what he's like, plenty of times."

"I know. I'm sorry, I should have listened. Maybe if I had believed you years ago…."

"You know what, Trina? That's in the past. Let's just not fight anymore, okay? Or at least let's not fight anymore tonight. I'm too tired."

Just then, a reporter yelled out, "Logan, do you think your father's guilty?"

"Miss Mars, Veronica! What was your relationship—"

"Mr. Kane, are you and Logan still—"

"Trina, how will this impact your—"

"You know what Logan?" asked Veronica as she walked up to him and put one hand on his elbow, gesturing to the crowd outside the gate with the other. "I think our secret is out."

"Let's not disappoint our adoring public then." Logan pulled her into a kiss. It was after about forty-five seconds that from somewhere within the crowd a ragged cheer went up for the two bruised and bleeding lovers.

"Ahem."

"Sorry Trina, Duncan. Veronica, I really should get to bed, but I'll talk to you tomorrow, okay?"

"Tomorrow. Have a good night. Good night Trina."

The four of them said their good nights and Duncan and Veronica got back into the car and headed back out the gate.

To be continued….